In the interview with Peter Schäfer, Head of Center of Competence IT Project Management & Digitalization at THOST Projektmanagement GmbH.

With over 650 employees at 22 locations worldwide, THOST supports its customers in shaping the digital future, particularly for SMEs. The project management specialists, headquartered in Pforzheim, Baden-Württemberg, focus on IT projects that provide digitalization roadmaps and integrate modern IT infrastructures with a focus on artificial intelligence (AI), big data, cloud computing, and IoT networks. They place particular emphasis on compliance with high IT security standards, which extends across their entire service portfolio.

This portfolio includes a wide range of services, including IT project management (PM), digital transformation, and the implementation of project portfolio management software (PPM software). Through its PM expertise and as a reliable partner, THOST Projektmanagement GmbH plays a key role in the success of its customers' digitalization projects. This also includes a “Digitalization Booster,” which serves as a starting point for individual digitalization strategies and demonstrates how digitalization goals can be achieved efficiently. In an interview with Peter Schäfer, we discuss today the success factors of digitalization, a shared understanding of the technical term in a business context, and why decision-makers should now begin implementing their digital (process optimization) agenda in a needs-based manner.

DIGITAL FUTUREmag: Mr. Schäfer, for digitalization to work with project management, both users and providers need to have a clear understanding of what is meant by the former in order to tackle the task in a goal-oriented way. What is your personal definition of it?

Peter Schäfer: We understand digitalization as the implementation of processes using digital technologies, along with the associated cultural change that brings adjustments in behavior and work methods. This aspect is often neglected in digitalization measures. For us, change management is an integral part of the digitalization process. Therefore, digitalization—especially digital transformation—is an extremely individual topic for each company.

DIGITAL FUTUREmag: What is your strategy for developing a common understanding of digitalization with your customers?

Peter Schäfer: First, we analyze where companies currently stand in terms of their digitalization measures. On the one hand, we have customers who have not yet started digitalization. This is often due to high workloads and a lack of skilled workers—circumstances that make it difficult to unlock the company's innovation potential. On the other hand, there are customers who have started digitalization but have not yet achieved satisfactory results and want to accelerate their progress.

Together with our customers, we use a maturity model to define the desired target level of digitalization. In doing so, we consider both the IT strategy and the corporate strategy, since digitalization encompasses more than just the implementation of technical and software-supported processes. To develop a shared understanding, we conduct workshops with the company’s organizational units, including senior management. Together, we examine the current status and the desired goals to create a clear target picture. From this, we derive the necessary measures and develop an individual roadmap for implementing the digitalization steps. This approach enables targeted and effective collaboration to drive digitalization within the company. Our consulting offering “Booster Digitalisierung” supports companies in developing an individual digitalization strategy and delivers sustainable, clear, and effective results.

DIGITAL FUTUREmag: Can you recommend important guidelines and parameters that must be observed to ensure digitalization is both effective and efficient in companies?

Peter Schäfer: It is important not to focus solely on the technical level. Instead, we need to consider the entire business model, including products, services, and customer centricity. We also look at innovation management—how companies drive innovation—and examine management capabilities. Management must be able to support innovation, engage employees, take risks, and develop a vision for the future. The human factor plays a crucial role in these transformation processes. To ensure digitalization is both effective and efficient, one of the most important points is to involve all employees. Acceptance and participation from the workforce are essential for successful digitalization.

Therefore, we must ensure that employees develop an understanding of all necessary processes and have the relevant knowledge. This can be achieved through training as well as effective leadership. Change agencies within the company can provide valuable impetus, ideas, and internal advocacy to successfully drive digital transformation.

DIGITAL FUTUREmag: Are there any examples of quick wins that can be expected early on in a corresponding digitalization project?

Peter Schäfer: We repeatedly observe in our customers that many pilot projects have already been carried out at team or department level. Often, effective document management solutions or workflow management systems are already in place that can quickly and easily eliminate media discontinuities. This is often not known within the company. This is where we come in as portfolio managers, providing the overview and necessary transparency to target investments effectively. Such pilot projects can be scaled to company level with minimal effort. These successes can be described as “Quick Wins” since they deliver positive results in a short time and pave the way for further digitalization initiatives.

DIGITAL FUTUREmag: After creating a map of internal digitalization measures, there are many further steps. How can these be continuously updated and expanded?

Peter Schäfer: With our portfolio management approach, we consolidate individual projects into a roadmap. It is crucial to evaluate and prioritize the measures based on suitable criteria. Effective implementation can then be supported by additional project assistance, for example by THOST. My clear recommendation is to review the portfolio or portfolios on a quarterly basis. This ensures the relevance of the necessary processes and digitalization measures and enables targeted implementation. Regular reviews allow changes and new developments to be taken into account and the digitalization strategy to be continuously adapted and expanded. This iterative approach helps the company to respond flexibly to changes and continuously drive digitalization forward.

DIGITAL FUTUREmag: To what extent do you actively advise interested parties on applying for investment funding for digitalization projects, and what experience have you gained in this area?

Peter Schäfer: We offer comprehensive consulting, coordination and support for processes and project management tools in the context of digital transformation. Our focus is on various measures, particularly for SMEs. An important aspect is support in developing and implementing IT and security concepts, as companies are increasingly exposed to cyberattacks these days. We advocate the expansion of corporate broadband networks, which play an important role. We also support the introduction of digital operational channels, training measures in the field of digitalization, and initiatives in the field of Industry 4.0 as well as the establishment of infrastructures, including for Big Data applications. We assist our customers in evaluating, selecting and applying for the relevant funding measures and support them in providing the necessary documentation. Overall, we have had positive experiences with our customers and have successfully and cost-effectively promoted investments and financing needs – especially for innovative companies.

DIGITAL FUTUREmag: Let’s finally talk about a term that is currently on everyone’s lips: Customer Experience & Centricity. What significance does it have for digitalisation as a whole – especially with regard to operational workflows and the value chain?

Peter Schäfer: It is crucial not only to optimise internal processes but also to consider the entire value chain, particularly from the perspective of customers. A prime example is the digitalisation of a hospital, where this approach becomes particularly clear. Often, patients are not optimally supported in their concerns during admission, treatment and recovery, for example after surgery. By integrating medical technology, patient management and digital health applications – even beyond the company’s own boundaries – such challenges can be taken into account early in the planning of a building with a patient-centric approach, thereby positively influencing the treatment process.

Whether in public buildings or in industry, it is of great importance to focus on customers. Customer Experience & Centricity is a central component of digitalisation, as it not only optimises internal processes but also improves the customer experience and thus creates added value for the company.

DIGITAL FUTUREmag: Thank you very much indeed for this exciting interview.